Chet Edwards Target of Attack Ad

A conservative advocacy group based in Iowa released an ad this week seeking to expose the liberal voting record of Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) and link him to policies supported by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

American Future Fund's ad, "Fork in the Road," calls into question Edwards' voting record and urges voters to choose the right path by voting against the 20-year incumbent in November.

The ad--one of four the advocacy group released targeting Democrats across the nation-- states that Edwards voted for Pelosi's agenda more than 96 percent of the time, including the failed stimulus plan, and is the second ad the group has released focusing on Edward's links to Pelosi.

The first, "Tricked," was released Sept. 15 and also emphasized Edwards' vote for the stimulus and for Pelosi as speaker. It advised voters not to be tricked by "Washington liberals" any longer and to vote Edwards out of office.

These ads come at a critical time for Edwards, as he seeks to distance himself from Pelosi and even President Obama, despite the fact that he was a contender for the vice presidential nomination just two years ago. Edwards released an ad last week declaring his ability to say no to policies pushed by Pelosi and Obama, including the health care bill and cap and trade. And when asked by the Washington Post if he would back Pelosi for another term as Speaker, he wouldn't commit to a response.

Edwards, facing a tough reelection battle in one of the most heavily Republican areas of the country, is not the only Democrat distancing himself from Pelosi as a precautionary measure. Democrats in Texas as well as other states including Ohio and North Carolina are carefully extracting themselves from Pelosi's grasp as the mid term elections loom closer.